Travelling to Mongolia

Getting to Mongolia

Mongolia is still relatively unknown as a popular tourist destination. Sandwiched between two big neighbors Russia and China, the majority of visitors arrive to landlocked Mongolia by air via Chinggis Khaan International airport; is located 20km from the city center. A new airport at Khushigt valley, 52 km southwest of Ulaanbaatar is expected to complete by 2018.

Flight

MIAT - Mongolian airlines is the national carrier of the country, operates the most extensive international flight network into the capital, Ulaanbaatar, from Moscow, Beijing, Seoul, Tokyo, Berlin, Hong Kong, Busan and Osaka using modern fleet of Boeing and Airbus. Plus, Aeroflot flies regularly from Moscow, China’s Air China from Beijing, Korea’s Korean Air from Seoul, and Turkish airlines from Istanbul via Bishkek.

Mongolia’s two privately owned domestic airlines, Aero Mongolia and Hunnu Air also fly to Ulaanbaatar from regional Russian (Irkutsk & Ulaan Ude) and Chinese cities (Bugat, Manjuur, Huh hot and Ereen hot). For those looking for more interesting entry into Mongolia, a regular service connects the Kazakhstan city of Almaty with Ulgii, a city of Bayan Ulgii province in the west, a home to Kazakh ethnics. Domestic air transport is operated by Aero Mongolia and Hunnu Airlines to the remote provincial centers Murun, Dalanzadgad, Ulgii, Khovd, Ulaangom and Choibalsan.

Almost each province center has its own airport with paved runways. Ulaanbaatar’s Chinggis Khaan airport is the biggest and important airport at the moment, the code is ULN. International and domestic airlines run winter and summer timetables, increasing flights and prices during the high tourist season in July and August.

Train

The railway is the next option to come and visit Mongolia. Most visitors arrive in Ulaanbaatar by rail on the Trans-Mongolian train from Beijng or Moscow. Direct trains from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar run twice a week. With options of two or four berth compartments, the trip is excellent presentation to the country. There are daily trains from Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk, a regional Russian town, and fewer train service to Huhhot, China.

Car

Mongolia has several border crossing points with Russia and China, but only few is open to foreign nationals; Zamiin Uud on the Chinese Mongolian border, Tsagaannuur in the western Bayan Ulgii province and Altanbulag in the northern Selenge province.